Tuesday 26/Wednesday 27 Jan

Tuesday: weights session.

Wednesday: managed 1.5 miles outside (intending to go 8) when a freezing cold rain descended and (with iPhone aboard) i decided turning back for the gym was the more sensible option. I then did a further 7.5k on the treadmill at 8 min per mile pace. This was not quite the run I ahd wanted to do today but was OK. Obviously, the rain was nowhere to be see when I exited the gym. Just unlucky I guess.

Monday 25 January

What a relief. 6 miles at full tilt round Hyde Park (7.21 per mile) has put paid to all of yesterday's blues. It's note quite a PB but in the context of last week it's like winning the Olympics. What a contrast from yesterday. And, I put the whole thing down to state of mind. I was simply determined to run fast today and to put it all on the line. This was the best run since pre-Christmas highs.

Time to celebrate..

Weekend 23/24 January

A good start to the weekend with 10 miles at an average pace of 7.53 per mile. This was reasonably pleasing after a week ruined by a cold and coming straight after Friday's feeble effort on the treadmill. The pace did fall away a bit towards the end but that is partly due to gradient and I was fairly pleased to get hom feeling only slightly shattered. It's funny how a cold can ruin your confidence and how much confidence affects your running.

But then....I decided to do some heavy lifting in the garden on Sunday morning and moved 30 barrow loads of logs from the back of the house to the front and felt so drained I could hardly speak. This was done by lunchtime and I resolved to rest and go for a run in the evening, perhaps another 10 miles or so. A quick 30 minute walk with the dogs put paid to that and I ended up lying around the house feeling drained and miserable and with confidence at an all time low. There are always these days when it seems easier not to run than to run and your response to this is a good indicator as to state of mind. It's better to go out even if you run a short distance slowly. I bottled out. Done in by a bit of gardening. Am I really going to run a marathon in April? What a depressing day.

Total miles for the week: 15.

Pathetic.

Friday 22 January

I managed a one-hour weight session on Tuesday and was then struck down with a cold which has had me out of action until today. It's quite disconcerting not to be able to run at this stage of the process. Half of your brain is telling you you MUST run and the other half knows that if you do you can inflict long term damage on your body and immune system.

The sensible side of my brain won out until today when I attempted a leisurely 5 miles at 8 min per mile indoors (it was raining). Now feeling pretty wacked and coughing like an old man but glad I tried. More tomorrow and Sunday I hope. It will be a short week but at least I will have trained for 4 days out of 7.

Sunday 17 January

Took advantage of sunshine and cool temparatures to run off towards Dorking in the afternoon. Took it steady, as this was the first long run since the holiday, and covered 10 miles in 1.18.51 or 7.53 per mile. This makes 30 miles for the week. Recovered reasonably well from the run but had tired legs all evening. Pace was a bit down as there was the odd patch of flooded path to negotiate. An enjoyable bit of training.

Friday 15 January

A lazy run around Hyde Park, Shepherds Bush, Earls Court and South Kensington: 7.3 miles in 7.58 per mile (which is almost like a day off) I was feeling the effects of yesterday's interval session and did not really run with the intention of going quickly.

Also tried out some new anti-blister socks. They worked, but felt a bit slippery.

Over 20 miles so far this week. Hoping for 10 more tomorrow.

Thursday 14 Jan

A truly horrible bout of interval training. 40 minutes alternating between 10 and 15.5 kph. Almost didn't make it to the end but there's nothing that says "good session" quie like feeling nauseous and light headed. Lunch!

Tuesday 12 Jan

Finally a run outside after all the awful weather we have had lately. 8 miles around Hyde Park in 59.52 or 7.37 per mile in old money. This is the first post-Christmas run which felt as good as the pre-Christmas ones. The going underfoot was good except for a few hundred yards with some snow and ice. A very steady pace maintained for the whole run.

SNow Stops Play

Still way too much snow on the ground for proper training.

Monday was weights and Tuesday a brisk run in the park - 6 miles around Hyde Park in freezing temperatures in around 7.38 per mile. This was much slower than pre-Christmas, but it was the first pacey run after a long break and I was having a little trouble with breathing as I think there is some form of chest infection lurking. I decided not to push it too far and the second half was more modest than the first. The the snow fell.....so...just two runs on the treadmill in the remainder of the week. The first was 10k at 12.5 kph and I felt terrible afterwards. I now have a sore throat to go with my slightly restricted breathing but there is nothing seriously wrong. The second was 12k in one hour and I felt much better afterwards.

Another more vigorous weights session today and not too many ill effects. Breathing and sore throat back to normal.

New Year

Getting back into training after a long Christmas break has been filthy (about 3 weeks off due to 10 days of holiday and then the rest with the roads covered in ice and snow). I managed a 5 mile run in about 40 minutes on day 1 and then a treadmill run of 10k at 8 min per mile pace two days later. That was followed by 6 miles at 8.11 pace on a cold morning and without any real purpose to the run. Weights session yesterday and now waiting for the stiffness to kick in and a run tonigt. More snow forecast tonight so may not make a run as I have to take work home with me.